Manual
by matrixaffiliate
Summary: Harry usually loves Ginny's birthday surprises, but she isn't so sure about this one. A Post-Deathly Hallows Harry/Ginny fluff story. One-shot. Rated T. Everything belongs to JKR.


**Manual**

 **A/N: I'm waiting for The Grand Tour's newest season and it's Harry's birthday so this is what came of that. ;P A Post-Deathly Hallows Harry/Ginny fluff story. One-shot. Rated T. Everything belongs to JKR.**

Ginny turned the shiny brand new pink card over and over in her hand and smiled. It had been an absolute nightmare to get it; almost a year of sneaking and fibbing about who she was with and what she was doing, but holding the new driver's license in her hand, seeing her perfectly still muggle picture smile back at her, Ginny knew it had all been worth it.

Harry hadn't originally been partial to cars, he still preferred his Firebolt in all reality, but his neighbor downstairs had offered to sell him his car one day and Ginny wasn't exactly sure what had changed, but after Harry took a spin around town with old Jack, he was suddenly set on getting his muggle driving license and buying this car.

Ginny remembered the first time Harry showed her the black car. "What are the silver circles for?" She'd asked.

"It's the logo for the maker," Harry smiled fondly at the car, "Like Ellerby and Spudmore."

"So what's this maker called?" She'd laughed at how he ran his hands along the hood.

"It's an Audi, an Audi Quattro, one of the first ones. Quattro is the model, like a Firebolt."

Ginny got frequent letters her seventh year about how Jack was teaching Harry to drive. Shortly before she finished school, Harry had earned his pink card and bought Jack's car. When he took her for her first ride, Ginny could see what had attracted Harry to it.

It was exhilarating! Harry driving the car faster than she'd ever known a car could go, hugging corners, flooring it through the straights, and don't even get her started on the _sound_ of it. The engine's rev was like the perfect combination of carnal purring and muggle machinery and it left Ginny feeling ways that normally only Harry could accomplish. After that first ride, Harry found frequent excuses to take her for a spin in the Quattro.

Harry often talked about teaching Ginny to drive, but their schedules were hectic her first year on the Harpies, and Harry's continued efforts to clean up the remaining Death Eaters after the war kept him just as busy. This last year had been a lot better than the two previous, mostly due to getting the majority of the war clean up done. But Ginny was a first string chaser now, and she'd taken advantage of Harry's assumptions that she'd need to spend more time on the pitch to surprise him. Hermione's mum had been more than happy to help Ginny out and she had spent the better part of the last year helping Ginny learn to drive and navigate the Muggle bureaucracy to make it legal. And now everything was ready.

Well, almost ready. The surprise-recipient and birthday boy was still passed out cold on his bed from a rather awful work day the day before. When she let herself into his flat, Ginny momentarily considered waking him but decided he'd be happier to sleep till noon. She busied herself tidying up a small bit and then pulled a book at random off Harry's shelves and sat lounging on his sofa.

It was about a quarter past noon when his voice sounded from the door to his bedroom. "I could get used to waking up and finding you on my couch."

"I thought I'd come to surprise you before the family party tonight." Ginny set the book on the coffee table and moved to wrap her arms around his neck, readily returning the kiss he planted on her lips.

"I'm always a fan of your surprises." Harry murmured against her.

"Good, shower and then I'm taking you to," she brought her wrist into sight and smirked at her watch, "well lunch now."

Harry hummed against her, moving his lips to her neck.

"Harry," she gave him an exasperated sigh and pushed back a bit.

Harry gave her a pout, "I thought I was the one with a birthday today."

Ginny laughed and Harry dropped the facade to smile down at her. "I promise that it'll be worth the wait. Shower and get dressed." Then she pushed him towards his bathroom.

* * *

"Where to?" Harry asked as he came out of his room, dressed and smelling good enough that Ginny momentarily reconsider her plan.

"How about we drive to that pub in Wolverhampton you like?"

Harry perked up at the word _drive_. "Can we take all those back roads I like?" He went to the hook on the wall that held the car keys.

"I'd accept nothing less," Ginny teased as they headed for the door.

Harry showed off a great deal as they drove the thirty or so minutes to the pub, and Ginny took mental notes. The surprise was to be her driving them home, and she wanted to throw him around as much as he always did to her in the drive there.

Lunch was fun and Ginny tried to calm her excited nerves as she paid their bill. When they got outside she pushed Harry back against the wall of the pub, kissing him as she slipped her hand into his pocket, stealing his keys before breaking away and running full speed to the car. She unlocked the car as quickly as she could, but the door gave her trouble and as she went to pull it shut Harry shoved it back open.

"I'm all for teaching you to drive love, but let me get us to a less crowded parking lot to start you off in." Harry grinned and held out his hand.

Ginny gave him sly smile, "Get in the passenger seat, Potter."

"Gin," Harry started, but he stopped when she huffed and fished her brand new pink card out of her bag. She knew he loved this car; she shouldn't have been surprised that he wouldn't just give in.

Harry took the card and turned it over in his hand. "Is this real?"

"Get in the passenger seat, Potter." Ginny pulled the card back and slid it into her bag.

Harry reluctantly moved to the passenger seat, "Take it easy on her, Gin. Give yourself some time to get used to how she shifts."

"If it wasn't your birthday, I'd make comments on you caring more about this car than your girlfriend." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Harry forced a chuckle, but Ginny saw how his easy manner had tensed. She tried not to let it dampen her confidence.

She put in the clutch and got them out of the parking lot and back onto the road. Harry was right; it was different to drive the Quattro than the Granger's car. But once she got the feel for it, she never wanted to drive a different car again. The way the car purred under her as she shifted and how it pulled against her in the corners left her feeling something akin to arousal. It was fun, hypnotic, exhilarating, and Ginny finally got it. She finally understood why Harry had bought this car. It was the closest thing to flying in the Muggle world, and Ginny could argue in some ways it was better.

The thirty minutes passed in an instant as she pulled the car through the corners and zoomed down the straightaways. It wasn't until they started maneuvering the city roads to Harry's flat that Ginny realized Harry had been silent the entire drive.

 _Shit._

She pulled into his covered parking space and turned to look at him, "Surprise." She tried to keep her worry out of her voice.

Harry didn't look at her, "Let's go upstairs."

She let him get a head start and tried to push down the dual feelings of disappointment and rage that came full force. She'd worked hard for this; the least he could do was acknowledge it. She decided she'd go say goodbye and then head back to her flat to cool off. She didn't want to fight with him on his birthday, but tomorrow...

Gin walked in the flat, hung the keys on their hook and then turned to tell Harry goodbye when she was roughly pushed against the wall and Harry's lips crashed into hers.

"Merlin, Gin!" Harry swore as he kissed her and his body pressed her further into the wall. "Warn a bloke next time."

"You aren't mad?" She tossed her bag to the floor and ran her fingers into his hair.

"Mad?" He pulled back to look down at her. "Why in the hell would I be mad?"

"Well," she started, "you wouldn't look at me and you didn't say _anything_ after we got out of Wolverhampton..." Ginny trailed off as Harry's hands slipped under her shirt.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear, "I was sort of focused on _not_ attacking you while you were _driving my car_." He finished the last sentence in a growl and bit lightly down on her neck.

Ginny didn't even try to hold back the moan, "So you like your surprise?"

"I'll let you decide," Harry chuckled before throwing Ginny over his shoulder and carrying her laughing to his room.

An hour or so later, dozing with her head on his bare chest, Ginny decided that yes, Harry absolutely loved his surprise.


End file.
